Clamping means for ear ornaments and other articles of jewelry



Aug. 17, 1948.

A. H. LEVESQUE 2,447,350

CLAMPING MEANS FOR EAR-ORNAMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELRY Filed Aug. 50, 1944.

dllbrliqysz Patented Aug. 17, 1948 2,447,350 ,1 I t CLAMPING MEANS FOR-EAR ORNAMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES F J EWELRYv Arthur H. Levesque, North' Attleboro, Mass ia's I signer, by mesne assignments, to R. F. Sim-1 mons Company, Attleboro, Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 30, mussel-nine. 551,933

2 Claims.

Another object is. to provide clamping means having a member of substantially hollow form or loop-shape to adapt a portion of the lobe of the ear to project there-into and a cooperating member-pivoted to close against the opposite side of the ear to. press a portion. of its lobeinto the hollow part of the first member. 7 j

Another object is to providea pair of pivoted jaw-members with one member having. a portion of substantially ovate shape'with an open ing' at its interior and the opposite member having a convex portion arranged to close. toward the opening in the first member.

Another object is to provide a pair of pivoted members'with one Of said members having a, hollow loop-like portion with a spring of similar shape embedded therein and arranged with its free end adapted to bear against the end of the opposite member to hold the latter in either open or closed position;

Another object is to provide, clamping means comprising a, pair of pivoted members adapted to be struck up from sheet-metalsto'ck andformed into shape in dies to provide a strong durable structure of relatively lightweight capable of being produced economically; from precious metals. :I j

- Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the present improved clamping means shown as carrying an ornament and applied to position for fastening the ornament to the lobe of the ear;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same showingthe clamping means in open position for applying the ornament to or removing it from the ear;

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of the device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the operting spring for the clamping members or jaws;

v Fig. 5. is an enlarged view of the pivoted joint for the clamping .members or jaws; v Fig 6 is an enlarged detailed view oi one of the clamping membersor jaws showing an ornament znounted at. its end; j Fig. 7 isa still further enlarged sectional view illustrating the means for securing the s'pri' in; one of the clampingjjawsjand v Fig. '8 is an enlarged perspective view hollow loop -shaped clamping jaw. v

In accordance with the prevailing mode, jewels and other ornaments are worn on th-eQears'b-y clamping themthereto without thejneces'sity' 'for piercing the e'a'r-lobes as was an early custom; For this purpose, spring-operated clamping means are usually provided with the ornament attached to one of theclamping jaws and the present invention provides a new and improved construction of suchlclamping means. As shown in the] present drawings, two clamping members 2 and '3 are pivoted together at their terminal portions by means of a transverse pin 4 riveted over at its "ends as indicated in Fig. 5. The jaw 2 of the clamping meansmay be constructed from sheet-metal stock struck up and shapedin dies in the form of an ovate loo 5 extended at one end in a curved arm 6. The curved arm 6 'is' bi-g furcated at its end to provide two opposite bearings or hinge-ears 1 and 8 pierced with holes 9for thepivot-pin .4. V V The oppositeclamping member or jaw 3 also o the.

may be constructed from sheet-metal stock struck up and shapedf'in dieswith its sides folded into close relationship to. provide a relatively rigid. reinforced arm I0 terminating at one end in, a curved portion Hfhaving a substantially square end." This'end of the arm lllis provided with-a hole 25, see Fig. 6, for receiving the 'pin 4 tojpivotally connect the two -jaws together as shown in Fig. 3. The two folded sides of the arm ID are spread apart'at'its opposite end, diverging to forma concavo-convex'portion I2 more or less like the bowl of a spoon. The concaved side of the spoon-shaped end [201 the jaw 3 is adapted to receive a jewel l3 or other ornament securely fastened thereto as by cementing, while the opposite convex side of the spoon-shaped end of the jaw is adapted to bear against the car, as indicated in Fig. 1; the shape of the ear being indicated by dot-and-dash lines I4.

The looped portion 5 of the jaw 2 is formed with a continuous recess l5 bounded on its opposite sides by parallel flanges l6 and I1 bent upwardly from the sheet-metal stock in a die, see Fig. 8. The recess I5 is adapted to receive a flanges l6 and I1 rolled or swage'd over the edges of the loop to secure it in place. The two jaws 2' and 3 are assembled in hinged relationship by placing the end of the arm ll! of the jaw 3 between the bearing-ears 8 and 9 of the jaw 2 and inserting the pin 4 through the holes therein; after which the ends of the pin are headed over to of the spring 2|! is seated in the recess IS in the member or jaw 2 and the edges of the retain it in place. With the loop'2l of the spring secured fast in the member or jaw 2 its curved end 22 will project upwardly in position to bear against the square end of the arm ID of the opposite jaw 3 when the latter is swung into open position as shown in Fig. 3. With the parts of the device assembled in the manner explained and the jaws 2 and 3 in open position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the spring 20 will maintain them in thisrelationship so as to render it convenient to place the ornament on the ear.

In applying the ornament to the ear, the convex surface of the end portion 42 of the jaw 3 is placed against the side of the ear just above the lobe swelling, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and thereafter the opposite jaw 2 is swung on the pivot 4 to close against the opposite side of the ear. Referring to Fig. 1, when the jaw 2 is thus swung into closed position the curved endportion 22 of the spring 20 will snap over the square end of its arm I0 and bear against its straight-sided portion to hold it pressing against the lobe of the ear. During this operation a portion of the lobe of the ear will be pressed into the opening in the loop 5 of the jaw 2, thus tending to securely hold theornament in place on the car without danger of its dropping off or becoming released accidentally.

It will be understood that the turned over edges of the flanges l6 and H on the loop 5 of the jaw 2 have a smooth rounded contour as shown in Fig.

'I so as to avoid any sharp edges liable to scratch or abrade the flesh of the ear. At the same time the jaws will take a secure grip on the lobe of the ear to firmly resist any tendency for the ornament to be released therefrom.

It will be observed from the foregoing specification that the present invention provides an extremely simple clamping means for ear-ornaments and like articles oi jewelry which is' strong and: durable in use, light in weight to render it economical to manufacture from precious metals, and more comfortable to wear while giving greater security against loss of the ornament than similar devices previously used in the art.

While the improved device is herein shown and described as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that its parts may take other forms and various different types of ornaments may be applied to the clamping jaws without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a device of the type indicated, a jawinember constructed of sheet-metal with a looped portion of recessed construction having upstanding parallel side walls connected by a bottom wall, a second jaw-member comprising an arm hingedly connected to said first-named jawmember, and a leaf-spring provided with a looped portionheld within the recess of the loop of the first-named jaw-member and having an arm projecting therebeyond with its end engaging against the end of the arm of the second-named jawmember, the walls of the recessed loop extending over the edges of the loop of the spring to fixedly attach the latter to said jaw-member with its aim acting against the end of the arm of the oppositejaw-member to swing said members toward each other.

'2. An article of jewelry comprising a pair of pivoted jaw-members, one of said members having an ovate-shaped loop-portion with an arm projecting from its end, said member constructed of sheet-metal with a' continuous recess in its loop-portion bounded by upstanding parallel side flanges extended in said arm and terminating in hinge-ears, the opposite member consisting in a' curved arm of bifurcated construction in crosssection with contiguous side walls diverging at one end to provide a relatively wide portion adapted for receiving an ornament attached thereto, means for pivot'ally connecting said lastnamed member with the hinge-ears on the arm of the first-named member, and a leaf spring of ovate shape fastened within the recess of the loopportion of the first-named member with the flanges having portions projecting across its edges and provided with a curved end bearing against the end of the arm of the second-named member" to maintain said members in either open or closed position.

ARTHUR 'H. LEVESQUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Placco 1 Mar. 9, 1943 

